Oklahoma School District Is Allowing Its Teachers to Bear Arms

An Oklahoma public school district is allowing employees to bear arms in an attempt to keep students safe and send a message that their school district is not an easy target.

According to the Muskogee Phoenix, signs were erected on all school grounds in Okay, Oklahoma, public schools to alert the public of their bold move — and ward off potential perpetrators. "The signs are more or less a deterrent," Superintendent Charles McMahan told the newspaper.

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One sign reads: "ATTENTION: Please be aware that certain staff members at Okay Public Schools can be legally armed and may use whatever force is necessary to protect our students." Another simply proclaims, "Armed School Employees." At present, only one employee has been cleared to carry.

The school's new policy is spearheaded by High School Principal Mark Hayes, who reasoned the numerous shootings in the country led him to the decision to arm his employees. Across the U.S., there was, on average, at least one or more school shooting each week in 2015.

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"We want to keep our students safe," Hayes said. "These are our kids." Okay is the only school in the Green Country area with an armed-employee policy.

One reason school officials may point to: In 2014, the town's police department was broken up, leaving the public vulnerable to crime and violence. Superintendent McMahan feels even though sheriff's deputies are available, that may not be enough in a crisis situation. "We don't want to be a soft target," he said. "It is seconds, not minutes, that matter."

Others aren't well, okay, with the Okay schools' move to bring guns into the classrooms. Officials at the nearby towns of Muskogee, Keys, Porum, and Hilldale public schools insist security be handled by local law enforcement. "To make it short and sweet, we just don't think it's safe," Porum Public Schools Superintendent Curtis Curry said.

‪Under the policy approved in August, Okay school employees who wish to carry firearms must receive training and Board of Education approval. Employees must qualify with a Council on Law Enforcement Education Training certification or license, possess an Oklahoma Self Defense Act License, and be CLEET qualified with the firearm.